Molding clip



W. R. WILEY MOLDING CLIP July 23, 194o.-

Filed Oct. 28. 1938 Patented July 23, 1940 PAsr MLDING am E. Wiley, Detroit, Mich. AppHcation ctober. 28, i933, Serial No. 237,391

- The present invention relates to clips for mounting sheet metal molding strips to sheet metal panels, and particularly relates to an improved clip structure over that disclosed and claimed in the United States Letters Patent to William R. Wiley, No. 2,084,717, patented June Z2, 1937. v

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved clip structure which cannot be accidentally or 'intentionally removed from the panel to which it is attached by the application of pressure exteriorly of the panel and which can only be removed by first collapsing it from the under side of the panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved clip structure which may be forced into strip attached to a panel by an position through an opening in the panel by the application of less pressure than that neededv to set Vprior types of clips.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawing relating thereto, `and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, in which ,like numerals are usedto designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, of a sheet metal molding Y improved clip according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe clip illustrated in Fig. 1;l

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified form of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe line B-l of Fig. '4.

Referring to the drawing, and referring particularly to Figs.V 1 through 3 thereof, a sheet metal channel-shaped molding strip I is illustrated having the usual inturned edges I2. Itis, of course, to be understood that the. strip I0 is elongated in shape and is adapted to be attached to a sheet metal panel Il, such as one of the body panels of an automobile, at spaced intervals along its length. The panel Il is provided with a plurality of spaced openings or apertures I6 along the line which the molding strip vis designed to occupy when in position.

vThe molding I0 is adapted to be secured to the panel I4 by means of clips, generally indicated at I8, which engage the molding strip i and engage the panel It through the openings I 6. The clip I 8 comprises a hardened and tem- (Ci. 18g-88) pered4 sheet metal strip having the central portion thereof arched, as indicated at 20, to provide an arched head for reception within the molding Il). The next adjacent portions 22 are bent so that they converge inwardly to form a neck of appreciably less breadth than the head or arched portion 2li. The base of this neck isindicated at 24, and those portions of the clip indicated-at 26 adjacent the base 2d are then bent so that they diverge outwardly to provide shoulders which are adapted to bear against the under edge of the opening I6 when the clips are in position. The converging portions 22, base 2d, and diverging portions 26 form indentations in the clip in which the converging portions 22 bear against the facing edges of the flanges I2 and the outwardly diverging portions 26 bear against the under edges of the openings I6 to fix the molding I 0 relative to the panel I 4. lThe clips I8 may be applied to theV molding I0 in the manner described in the Wiley patent referred to.

The end portions 28 of the clip, adjacent the outwardly diverging portions 21, converge toward each other 'to provide a resilient prong adapted for insertion into the aperture I6 in the panel I4.' The end portions 28 meet at the lowermost point of the clip, and one of such end portions is longer'than the other and is bent over the plain'end of thel other, as indicated at 30, as in the structure described in the patent referred to.

In the patent referred to, the legs forming the prongs are generally straight, and according to the present invention in order that the clips may be applied to the panel with less pressure, the end portions 28 are arched outwardly over a portion of their length adjacent the portion 26 about the radii indicated at R. It has been found that by providing these outwardly arched parts in the prong portion of the clip, the force required to insert the clips into the panel is reduced about twenty per cent. It has also been found that this arching of the prong legs pre vents the clip from breaking down and permanently collapsing as the arched sections seem to throw most ofthe pressure into the neck 24.

The present invention is primarily concerned with means formed'on the clip to prevent the accidental or intentional removal of the clip from the panel id by the application of pressure ,j

through a tool or otherwisel to the head 2li or the y clip adjacent the neck 2li from the outside of the panel Hi. This means includes the provision ci oppositely and outwardly disposed recesses 32 in the edges of the diverging portions These re cesses provide edges or shoulders 64. The recesses 32 are sc shaped that the edges 3l, are positioned in slightly spaced relation to the under surface ofthe panel Il. As best shown in Fig. 3,

these recesses vprovide a shoulder formed by the edge 34 which underlies the edge of the apertures i6. The recesses 32 and shoulders 34 dc not in themselves serve as part of the normal means for holding the clip in position and for mounting ,the molding to the panel as the clip construction itself serves this purpose. The recesses and shoulders merely serve to lock the clip in position and to prevent its removal from its opening i6 upon the application of pressure through a tool or otherwise to the molding or clip from the outside of the panel Il. When such pressure is applied, the shoulder or edge 3l would abut against the under edge of the opening I6 so that the lclip would be stopped in any outward movement. The clip can only be removed by collapsing it from the under side of the panel I4..

panel would result in the tabs 40 striking against the panel I4 adjacent the opening I6. The clip cannot be removed without collapsing it from the under side of the panel.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment oi' the invention ydescribed without invention, the scope of which is commensurate i 69 panel and said indentations being departing from the spirit and substance of the with the appended claims.

What is claimed is: l

1. In combination, a generally channel-shaped molding strip having inturnedanges at its'lateral edges,a sheet metallpanel having an aperture therein, and a clip forsecuring said molding strip to said panel, said clip comprising a sheet metal strip formed into a closed loop, said clip being shaped to provide indentations in opposite sides thereof, the portion of said strip between generally arched to resiliently urge the bases of said indentations into engagement with' the inturned flanges on said molding strip, the remaining portions of said strip diverging from the bases of said indentations -to provide cam surfaces for urging said molding strip into engagement with said sheet metal panel and then converging to provide a prong for facilitating the insertion of said clipinto the aperture in-said panel, 'and means formed on the diverging portions oi' -said clip so constructed as to normally be spaced from the adjacent side of said movable into engagement with said panel in the event that outward pressure is applied to said arched portion.

2. In combination, molding strip having inturned anges at vits lateral edges, a sheet metal panel having an aperture therein,'and a clip for securing said molding lstrip to said panel, said clip comprising a sheet metal strip formed into a closed loop, said a generally channel-shaped` clip being shaped to provide indentations in opposite sides thereof, the portion of said strip between said indentations being generally arched to resiliently urge the bases of said indentations into engagement with the inturned ilanges of said molding strip, the remaining portions of said strip diverging from the bases of said indentations to provide cam surfaces for urging said molding strip into engagementwith said sheet metal panel and then converging to provide a prong for facilitating the insertion of said clip into the aperture in said panel, and means forming outwardly disposed recesses in the edges of the diverging -portions of said clip having shoulder portions located adjacent said aperture so constructed as to normally be spaced panel and movable into yengagement with said panel in the event that outward pressure is applied to the archedv portion. l

3. In combination, a generally channel-shaped molding strip having inturned anges at its lateral edges, a sheet metal panel having an aperture therein, and a clip for securing said molding strip to said panel, said clip comprising a sheet metal strip` formed into a closed loop, said clip being shaped to provide indentations in opposite sides thereof, the portion of said strip between `said indentations being generally arched to resiliently urge the bases of said indentations into engagement with the inturned anges on said molding strip, the remaining portions of said strip diverging from the. bases of said indentations to provide cam surfaces. for urging said molding strip into. engagement with said sheet metal panel and then converging to provide a prong for facilitating the insertion of said clip into the aperture in said panel, and means forming oppositely and outwardly disposed recesses in the edges of the diverging portions of the clip having` shoulder portions located adjacent said aperture so constructed as to normally be spaced from the adjacent side of said panel and movable into engagement with said panel in the event that outward pressure is applied to the arched portion.

4. In combination, molding strip having inturned flanges at its lateral edges, a sheet metal panel having an aperture therein,` and a clip for securing said molding strip to said panel, said clip comprising a sheet metal strip formed into a closed loop, said clip being shaped to provide indentations in opposite sides thereof, the portion'of said strip between said indentations being generally arched to resiliently urge the bases of said indentations into engagement with the inturned anges on said molding strip, the remaining portions of said strip diverging from the bases of said indentations to provide cam surfaces for urging said molding strip into engagement with said sheet metal panel and then converging to provide a prong for facilitating the insertion of said clip into the aperture in said panel, and means forming outwardly disposed abutments on the diverging portions of the clip so constructed as to normally be spaced from the adjacent side of said panel and movable to abut against said panel in the event that outward pressure is applied to the arched portion.

a. WILEY.

from the adjacent side of saida generally channel-shaped 

